As described in Patent Document No. 1, as for a DVD-RAM, each and every area of the optical disc is certified as defect free by the manufacturer of the optical disc when the disc is going to be shipped. Such an optical disc is shipped with the result of such certification recorded on the defect management area (DMA) of the optical disc. And when the user purchases that optical disc and writes data on it using an optical disc apparatus (or optical disc drive), the optical disc apparatus determines, by reference to the information stored in such a DMA, whether each area of the optical disc is recordable or not, and then writes data selectively only on recordable areas.